EPS may seek a trust vote, TN Governor meets Kovind, Rajnath

Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao met President Ram Nath Kovind and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on a day that saw Speaker P Dhanapal disqualified 18 MLAs owing allegiance to rebel AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran.

Though Rao's meetings with Kovind and Singh were described as "courtesy calls", they came a day ahead of his proposed visit to Chennai for three days from Tuesday.


As the Speaker's action appeared to tilt the number game in favour of the ruling side, a floor test appeared imminent in the state assembly in the last week of this month.


Rao, who is Governor of Maharashtra, holds the TN Governor's post as an additional charge. So far, he has not asked Chief Minister E K Palanisami to face a floor test. Both the opposition DMK and the Dhinakaran faction have challenged him to do so.


EPS, who recently joined hands with O Paneerselvam to unite the AIADMK to isolate Dhinakaran, is now expected to volunteer to seek a vote of confidence.


He now needs the support of just 108 MLAs, excluding that of the Speaker, to prove his majority --with the disqualification of the 18 MLAs. The total strength of MLAs in the 234-member House has come down to 215. This includes the seat of R K Nagar that fell vacant after the demise of Jayalalithaa last December.